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Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teacher Tales: 101 Inspirational Stories from Great Teachers and Appreciative Students
Laugh and cry reading these 101 stories about the heart and soul of teaching in these inspirational Teacher Tales!
You won’t be able to put down these stories about new and experienced teachers, tough kids and sweet kids, funny and embarrassing moments, amazing connections and relationships, and all the ups and downs of being a teacher today. Read
You won’t be able to put down these stories about new and experienced teachers, tough kids and sweet kids, funny and embarrassing moments, amazing connections and relationships, and all the ups and downs of being a teacher today. Read
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2010
48 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Jack Canfield
1,286 books1,751 followersJack Canfield is an American motivational speaker and author. He is best known as the co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series, which currently has over 124 titles and 100 million copies in print in over 47 languages. According to USA Today, Canfield and his writing partner, Mark Victor Hansen, were the top-selling authors in the United States in 1997.
Canfield received a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters from University of Massachusetts. He has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist.
Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. The stated mission of Self Esteem Seminars is to train entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders and employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The focus of The Foundation for Self Esteem is to train social workers, welfare recipients and human resource professionals.
In 1990,he shared with author Mark Victor Hansen his idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. After three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories.
Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live, PBS, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Montel Williams Show, Larry King Live and the BBC.
Canfield's most recent book, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret," and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life.
Jack Canfield was born on August 19, 1944, in Fort Worth, TX. He is the son of Elmer and Ellen (a homemaker; maiden name, Taylor). He attended high school at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling, WV, 1962. He went to college at Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Canfield married Judith Ohlbaum in 1971 (divorced, November 1976); he married Georgia Lee Noble on September 9, 1978 (divorced, December 1999); he married Inga Marie Mahoney on July 4, 2001; children: (first marriage) Oran, David, Kyle, Dania; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. He is a Democrat and a Christian, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar.
Canfield received a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters from University of Massachusetts. He has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist.
Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. The stated mission of Self Esteem Seminars is to train entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders and employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The focus of The Foundation for Self Esteem is to train social workers, welfare recipients and human resource professionals.
In 1990,he shared with author Mark Victor Hansen his idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. After three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories.
Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live, PBS, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Montel Williams Show, Larry King Live and the BBC.
Canfield's most recent book, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret," and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life.
Jack Canfield was born on August 19, 1944, in Fort Worth, TX. He is the son of Elmer and Ellen (a homemaker; maiden name, Taylor). He attended high school at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling, WV, 1962. He went to college at Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Canfield married Judith Ohlbaum in 1971 (divorced, November 1976); he married Georgia Lee Noble on September 9, 1978 (divorced, December 1999); he married Inga Marie Mahoney on July 4, 2001; children: (first marriage) Oran, David, Kyle, Dania; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. He is a Democrat and a Christian, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 1, 2013
Chicken Soup: Teacher Tales is full of amazing stories sent in by teachers and students. What I Have enjoyed the most about these short stories and poems is that you can really hear voice while reading all these passages. Each story sent is unique in it's own way and each writer has a unique style. While I was reading all of these stories I could really hear these people talking through the events they wrote about. These are one of the book that really makes you laugh, cry, and smile page after page. There is a particular tale that was one of my favorites so far. It was a story about a Spanish teacher and the relationship she developed with one of her students and how that student comes back to her later in life and tells her how much she has impacted his life long after he has left her classroom. This tale was so descriptive and so powerful that I was really able to hear this teacher talking. She does such a great job at developing each character that the readers really begin to feel like they are hearing the story being told first hand. In her writing she also includes dialogue which makes it easy to understand her story. I think that in the classroom I can use some of these tales as an example of the ways writers use voice in order to give us an insight to their thoughts. I would like to teach my students that voice will help individualize their writing.
February 24, 2018
This was a Christmas present from Mum, acknowledging the fledgling career I built as an ESL teacher before I left Australia to voluntravel indefinitely. While the stories are very apple-pie American in content and tone, there were still some universal themes and points that I could identify strongly with: the need to care wholeheartedly for students; the nature of teaching as a profession of passion, inspiration and creativity, the value of education to shape lives; and the sheer importance of teachers as change makers.
There are too many stories for me to comment on each one, but ones that stood out included 'Ooh La La' (what new teacher hasn't accidentally shown their students inappropriate content on the big screen!), 'Field Trip Fiasco' and 'I Wish Every Teacher a Kevonna'.
I really do miss teaching, and after finishing this book I actually dreamt that I was back at the start of a new teaching term, collecting up my students in the hallway as we looked for our classroom. Someday soon, I hope to be doing that again for real!
There are too many stories for me to comment on each one, but ones that stood out included 'Ooh La La' (what new teacher hasn't accidentally shown their students inappropriate content on the big screen!), 'Field Trip Fiasco' and 'I Wish Every Teacher a Kevonna'.
I really do miss teaching, and after finishing this book I actually dreamt that I was back at the start of a new teaching term, collecting up my students in the hallway as we looked for our classroom. Someday soon, I hope to be doing that again for real!
September 13, 2018
Being a current teacher-in-training, some of these stories were gut-wrenching. There were also stories that made me say "this is awesome" at the end. It is a book that belongs to one of the best series "Chicken Soup for the Soul". It is known that when a book has this title you are in for a ride of emotional ups and downs, but mostly ups. Reading this book helped me to be more aware of my future and how a teacher is far more than just a teacher, they are a friend.
February 4, 2020
Great for inspiration and good laughs
August 21, 2022
Beautiful, inspiring stories from all of the 2009 state teachers of the year, plus some others. A perfect gift for any teacher.
October 22, 2023
4.5 stars
This book made my heart very happy 😊
This book made my heart very happy 😊
March 25, 2014
I received this book as a gift. As a teacher, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I opened it. Since it was mostly contributed to by Teachers of the Year, would it feel like it had been processed too much by educational bureaucracy? Would it be inspiring? Would it be boring? Thankfully, the book turned out to very enjoyable overall and a very inspiring read for teachers.
Some of the stories in the book are downright heartbreaking, and one in particular ended on a flat note without the customary "things will get better" tone that I expected/hoped for in my reading. Most of the stories, however, ended with some sort of valuable lesson or a feeling of validation for those teachers who choose to sacrifice higher income and prestige to work in the schools. That's probably the key thing I got out of this book, actually--VALIDATION. Hearing from other people in the "trenches" helps to remind me of why I chose to become a teacher. There are a few stories that feel a bit stilted with bragging or the "administrative touch" (as in, "Oh-Look-At-Me-I-Somehow-Teach-Amazing-Lessons-All-The-Time-Yet-Also-Focus-Abundantly-On-Mandated-Testing-AND-Somehow-Have-a-Personal-Life"), but that effect was less present in this collection than I had anticipated.
One thing that troubles me, though, is that if I did the amazing things that some of these Teachers of the Year did to help their students feel valued and become successful (such as taking a student out to lunch), I would probably get fired. I wouldn't copy all of the teachers' actions in this book, of course (it talks about some very bad decisions!), but it would be nice if we didn't live in a world where we all had to be so paranoid all of the time. I wonder how these Teachers of the Year managed to get away with such indiscretions.
(Isn't it odd, by the way, that those teachers we often laud as being the most innovative and successful with their students are the ones who choose to disregard conventions and the expectations imposed on them by administration or educational departments? I am still too green of a teacher to voice my opinion about whether certain educational practices in my area are appropriate or not, but I have noticed this trend in our media, at least. I'm sure I will form stronger opinions as I continue to learn and gain experience.)
On the crummy days where students are crabby or the piles of things to grade get big, it's important for me to think to the positive teaching experiences I've had. This book gives me even more experiences to draw on (and even teaching ideas!) and helps me to remember that teachers really can make a difference.
Some of the stories in the book are downright heartbreaking, and one in particular ended on a flat note without the customary "things will get better" tone that I expected/hoped for in my reading. Most of the stories, however, ended with some sort of valuable lesson or a feeling of validation for those teachers who choose to sacrifice higher income and prestige to work in the schools. That's probably the key thing I got out of this book, actually--VALIDATION. Hearing from other people in the "trenches" helps to remind me of why I chose to become a teacher. There are a few stories that feel a bit stilted with bragging or the "administrative touch" (as in, "Oh-Look-At-Me-I-Somehow-Teach-Amazing-Lessons-All-The-Time-Yet-Also-Focus-Abundantly-On-Mandated-Testing-AND-Somehow-Have-a-Personal-Life"), but that effect was less present in this collection than I had anticipated.
One thing that troubles me, though, is that if I did the amazing things that some of these Teachers of the Year did to help their students feel valued and become successful (such as taking a student out to lunch), I would probably get fired. I wouldn't copy all of the teachers' actions in this book, of course (it talks about some very bad decisions!), but it would be nice if we didn't live in a world where we all had to be so paranoid all of the time. I wonder how these Teachers of the Year managed to get away with such indiscretions.
(Isn't it odd, by the way, that those teachers we often laud as being the most innovative and successful with their students are the ones who choose to disregard conventions and the expectations imposed on them by administration or educational departments? I am still too green of a teacher to voice my opinion about whether certain educational practices in my area are appropriate or not, but I have noticed this trend in our media, at least. I'm sure I will form stronger opinions as I continue to learn and gain experience.)
On the crummy days where students are crabby or the piles of things to grade get big, it's important for me to think to the positive teaching experiences I've had. This book gives me even more experiences to draw on (and even teaching ideas!) and helps me to remember that teachers really can make a difference.
December 8, 2012
The stories from this book helped me remember my idealism from when I first embarked on my path in teaching, and gave me courage to continue. (Yes, that was sappy; it was pretty deliberate. If you don't like sappy, find another book.)
May 2, 2013
My mother is a teacher and so someone gave her this book. I had never read and of the chicken soups primarily because I was told I would cry my eyes out, but one day I just kind of picked this up without meaning to and before I realized it I was reading it. I liked it a lot too.
July 19, 2010
Don't bother!
March 11, 2011
A wonderful book to read. A great reminder of why the teaching profession is a great and important one. I recommend this book to EVERYONE especially teachers.
December 14, 2010
bagus utk bacaan para guru. This book inspired me!!
May 2, 2013
I am constantly picking up this book and reading different passages since I bought it several years ago.
December 7, 2013
Loved the book. It just reminds me of all the great reasons one gets into teaching. Its okay with me that I will never get rich from my job, I feel rich in every way that counts!
August 8, 2014
Quick stories, inspiring anecdotes, perspective...
This book is truly a delight to have around. I have re-read stories. Reminds me why I teach!
This book is truly a delight to have around. I have re-read stories. Reminds me why I teach!
December 23, 2015
Every day devotional to strengthen me in my career. God is really powerful. I love my calling.
February 10, 2022
Made me cry as they all do. Great book of stories.
June 28, 2010
Cute little stories, good upbeat feel throughout
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews